Young, Fabulous, & Female

Two weeks ago, The Root and sponsor Toyota hosted a phenomenal event that I was thrilled to attend called Young, Fabulous, and Female. This was a great night of networking, empowerment and sisterhood with hundreds of positive independent women in the Houston area. The event featured a discussion by a dynamic panel, moderated by Houston's top radio personality Devi Dev. The panel included: Joy Sewing, Houston Chronicle fashion editor; Dr. Camille Cash; Entrepreneur Denise Hamilton; KPRC producer Tera Roberson; and Pastor Suzette Caldwell from Windsor Village United Methodist.

There were so many pearls of wisdom that it's hard to say what part of the event was my favorite so I will just say the entire concept, discussion, and vibe was just divine. I mean that figuratively and literally. There was something other worldly about the energy in that room. Hundreds of beautiful women gathered to agree and reflect on their faith, hope, and stories of being authentic, and the challenges along the way.

The panel featured accomplished women who despite their successes are of course women, and as we all know, not everyone appreciates a girl's hustle. We have to defy so may odds from the corporate world to the silver screen, and although women in America have it better than most, we still have many miles to go. The panel featured women of color, which also presents another dimension of opposition in their respective professions. Their stories were compelling, and every woman in the room, regardless of accomplishments or setbacks understood their struggle. Even better than the struggle is the story of their triumphs. As women we may face obstacles that our male counterparts will never have to face, but as women, we make things happen, we push through, and best of all, with groups like MsIndependent, we can support each other to reach our goals.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the evening.

"Give yourself permission to be mediocre in the BEGINNING in order to conquer procrastination."- Denise Hamilton

"Procrastination for women is a quest for perfection. " - Denise Hamilton

"If you want to do it and it's not about the money then a way will be made for you."- Joy Sewing

"If you really want it, you can stand to be a little uncomfortable."-Camille Cash